KINDNESS

Sixty-six year old "Valerie" suffers from ovarian cancer. Valerie lives with her husband "Carl." They have been married twenty-three years. They have no children, but Valerie is close to her siblings and has amazing friends. Carl suffers from diabetes and cardiac disease, although is able to manage his own needs without much difficulty. Valerie has been declining in the recent weeks whereas she is needing more assistance. Instead of stepping up to the plate to assist his wife, Carl continues to ask Valerie, for example, to make him lunch. Valerie will then fix Carl a sandwich.

Carl says that he is aware that Valerie is dying, but, on the other hand, he focuses on the difficulty he is having with his own health problems. Fortunately, Valerie's brother, "Chad" and her good friend, "Linda" are very involved and attentive to Valerie's changing needs and decline.

Valerie and Carl live in a very tiny one bedroom apartment. She quit her job as a waitress because of her declining health. Carl is retired and on Social Security. Funds are limited, although Linda is able to hire attendant care for the weekends to assist. Either she or Chad are with Valerie daily for support. Even though he knows his wife is declining and needs more help, Carl will sit on the couch and not offer any assistance.

Through it all, Valerie will continue to smile and ask about others. If you ask her how she is doing, she will always reply, "I'm doing fine." She is amazing and a teacher to us all. She has taught me to stop for a moment when I have an urge to complain about something and to concentrate on the positive. Valerie is able to focus on what she has and not what she doesn't have. All in all, it is all about her amazing kindness to others. What a beautiful person she is and what an amazing legacy she will leave behind.


KINDNESS

Her kindness comes from within.
From the deepest part of her soul.
She doesn't have a mean bone in her body.
She sees the good in everyone.

Her focus is always on others.
I have never heard her complain;
even though her own life
is slowly slipping away.

She can barely walk now.
Fluid has invaded her legs.
The tumor is growing so rapidly,
her clothes no longer comfortably fit.

But still she continues to smile.
She continues to ask, "How are you?"
Never a thought to her own sufferings.
She takes it all in stride.

She has amazing family and friends
who are right there by her side.
She has a husband who doesn't help much,
but she loves him all the more.

She will die the way she lived;
with kindness and consideration all around.
She will leave amazing footsteps.
It's the only way she knows how.

Kindness